Rendering honors to officers (British)

Thanks, Gus. Good article. One more question: what was the proper period officer's response - particularly if the soldier was under arms (e.g., sentry)? Was the phrase "carry on" in use yet?

Unlike our modern day greetings like "Good Morning, Sir," in the FIW; NCO's and Other Ranks were under orders NOT to speak at all to the Officer/s as one passed by, as that was seen as be too familiar with the Officer to so "casually" speak to him.  So there would not have been a "carry on" given by the Officer/s in return.  The Superior Officer didn't have to acknowledge the soldier's salute, though he may have slightly bowed his head just a bit in return.

Now IF the Officer addressed you and you were unarmed, then you stopped, came to attention and "faced" towards the Officer then "clapped" or quickly grabbed the hat edge with the right hand and bowed slightly from the waist.  Once the Officer spoke more, you came to attention until he was done speaking, at which time you would acknowledge with "Yes, Sir" and again performed the salute and WAIT until the Officer passed on by before going about your rat killing, or to do what the Officer had ordered, if there had been urgency in the Officer's command to do something.  

With 26 years in the Marine Corps, I REALLY had to stop myself from saying, "Aye, Sir," or "Aye, aye, Sir" as that was not done in the Army.  

I don't believe there was a standard "Carry On" the Officer said during this period, though they could have said it.  Something like "Off with you, then" could just have easily been used.  

I think I should point out these were "rules" for the Regulars.  I'm not sure if there was a little more familiarity with Light Infantry or Rangers, at least with their Company Grade Officers, though I could see that, especially when in a combat area.  However in garrison or camp, I'm pretty sure they followed these rules as well.  

Gus

You are most welcome.  BTW, is the military weekend at Fort Ligonier still on at the end of this month?

Gus

Hi Nock,  

As to the way British Sailors did things, Master and Commander did a really good job.  I was nicely surprised the enlisted sailors "Knuckled" their brows, which was the way sailors rendered respect to their Officers, as most sailors didn't wear head gear or hats.   Again though I can't document this, this is supposedly where we got the term "Knuckling Under."  

I have been trying and trying to remember the exact language Russell Crowe as Captain used to dress down the Sailors who did not render proper military courtesy to the Milk Sop Midshipman, who later committed suicide.  I think it was something like, "Those men did not show their proper submission or subservience," but that's not quite right.

Gus

This is what I gleaned from a private conversation elsewhere.

"
There is a difference between officer to officer and enlisted to officer. There were different protocols for soldiers and officers "under arms" vs. unarmed.

The hand salute was rendered to and from officers when the officers were not in immediate command of a group of armed [musket carrying] soldiers. When the officer was commanding armed troops, often he might salute with his sword. The salute for the passing of "colours" would be a different sword salute, than simply to a superior officer.

The enlisted would salute with the hand when not carrying their musket. When carrying the musket the salute for an officer was to come to the "recover" position, and when talking to an NCO they would come to a position which we today would call "port arms".

Continental army likely did it the same way as Washington and few of the other officers, not to mention the foreign officers, would be accustomed to it being done that way."

I did not get a good idea of how early all this applies.

Thanks Gus. The person from the above discussion mentioned the same things about Naval salutes.

Was there a courtesy or custom for civilians when interacting with military officers? And would this custom be known among civilian men in Pennsylvania where at the time of the FIW there wasn’t a militia culture? From my reading, it seems men assembled in times of emergency were loosely organized under ‘civilian’ officers. I’m thinking of a civilian with business at a fort, or irregular troops working in association with regular British or Provincial forces.